Floridians Call On Martinez To Save Internet

STANDING UP FOR AFFORDABLE PROPERTY INSURANCE—Skyrocketing insurance prices coupled with escalating property taxes are driving many Floridians out of their homes. Lawmakers must focus on making insurance more affordable during the upcoming legislative session.

In October, Florida PIRG worked with small business owners, Orlando residents and coalition partners to deliver over 20,000 petition signatures to Sen. Mel Martinez, urging him to support legislation that would protect an open and free Internet.

Internet Freedom, or net neutrality, was recently eliminated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Unless it is reinstated, the telephone and cable companies could decide which Web sites open quickly on individual computers based on which sites pay them the most, or which have political views that they agree with.

Telephone and cable companies have already made clear what they hope to do if Internet freedom protections are not reinstated.

On Dec. 1, 2005, for example, the Washington Post reported: “William L. Smith, chief technology officer for Atlanta-based BellSouth Corp., told reporters and analysts that an Internet service provider such as his firm should be able to charge Yahoo Inc. for the opportunity to have its search site load faster than that of Google Inc.”

Similar statements have been echoed by CEO’s of several other major Internet providers.

“AT&T, Verizon and Comcast and other big telephone and cable companies are spending millions lobbying Congress to permanently eliminate Internet Freedom,” added Robert Dzieken, owner of Digital Catalyst Computer Repair.

“That’s bad for my small business, which depends on a neutral Internet, where the Web site of a small entrepreneur can be viewed just as easily as the site of a big corporation.

“My phone or cable company should not be telling me which Web sites I can open on my computer,” added Adrienne Katz, an Orlando resident who signed the online petition to preserve Internet Freedom.

“Sen. Martinez has a choice—he can turn the Internet over to giant corporations or he can side with constituents by voting to protect Internet freedom.”

Florida PIRG has joined more than 750 diverse groups who have come together as the SavetheInternet.com Coalition— including local small businesses, other leading consumer groups, MoveOn, the Christian Coalition, Gun Owners of America, Craig from Craigslist, musicians REM and Moby, Free Press and others.

Together, this coalition collected more than 1 million petition signatures online.